This movie recounts the pairing of Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams) and Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh) through the eyes of newbie Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne). It's 1956 and Olivier is making 'The Prince and the Showgirl' with his own production company. He has gotten the biggest star on the planet but her insecurities threaten the production at every turn. Colin Clark is 23 from a well-to-do family and siblings who excel. He's the black sheep and wants to be in the film business. Through perseverance, he gets his first job as the third assistant director which is basically the bottom rung in the crew. He befriends Monroe and becomes the only one who could truly connect with her.
The story is somewhat fascinating for film buffs and Monroe fans. I don't know if the target audience goes much further than that. Michelle Williams fans can take heart in her performance. She really turns it on at times. When Monroe shows Clark her facade, she's basically playing two characters at the same time. Like the 1957 movie, the Monroe character overshadows this movie. It puts into doubt why anybody cares about Colin Clark. A straight Monroe movie may even be better. The movie does capture how powerful her image is at the time and her struggle with nerves.
The story is somewhat fascinating for film buffs and Monroe fans. I don't know if the target audience goes much further than that. Michelle Williams fans can take heart in her performance. She really turns it on at times. When Monroe shows Clark her facade, she's basically playing two characters at the same time. Like the 1957 movie, the Monroe character overshadows this movie. It puts into doubt why anybody cares about Colin Clark. A straight Monroe movie may even be better. The movie does capture how powerful her image is at the time and her struggle with nerves.